Minister Alparslan Bayraktar's statement on nuclear energy: A must for Türkiye's national security!

Turkey will commission its first nuclear power plant following the completion of the Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant. (A News archive) Bayraktar emphasized the importance of nuclear energy in reducing foreign dependency and carbon emissions, recalling the 2023 declaration by developed countries, including the developed nations, in Dubai, of nearly tripling existing nuclear power by 2050.

Bakraktar emphasized that the nuclear adventure that began after World War II is heading towards a golden age for nuclear energy, saying, "Turkey has made significant progress in its nearly 70-year nuclear energy journey, particularly in the last 15 years. The process that began with the Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant (NPP), the educational phase there, our students traveling to Russia and other countries for undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral degrees, and the construction of the Akkuyu NPP have marked a significant breakthrough in nuclear energy in Turkey."

Bayraktar stated that Turkey needs to have at least 15,000 megawatts of conventional nuclear power, saying, "We need to have at least 12 large and small nuclear reactors in Akkuyu, Sinop, and Thrace."

Bayraktar noted that in addition to this capacity, there is a need for at least 5,000 megawatt small modular reactors (SMR), as emphasized in their energy vision, and stated that TEKNOFEST competitions will play an important role in the nationalization of SMR technology and Türkiye's ability to produce it with its own resources.

Bayraktar stated that it was significant that the competition, which began in Adana last year, was held at the Küçükçekmece Campus this year, saying, "Çekmece is the birthplace of nuclear power in Turkey. I believe returning here will be a sign of a new birth. With this 5,000-megawatt SMR, which we hope we can surpass, we are striving to take our country to a whole new level with this nuclear adventure, by ensuring that our Powerships will uninterruptedly meet the energy needs of our industry and tomorrow's data centers."

Minister of Industry and Technology Mehmet Fatih Kacır, TEKNOFEST Chairman of the Board of Directors and Chairman of the T3 Foundation Board of Trustees Selçuk Bayraktar and students also attended the event.